Samora Machel Monument

The Samora Machel Monument in in Mbuzini, near Komatipoort in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, marks the spot where the plane carrying the then-President of Mozambique crashed in 1986. It was declared a National Heritage Site in 2006. The monument was inaugurated by Joaquim Chissano and Nelson Mandela on 19 January 1999. It was constructed at a cost of $240 000 and incorporates some of the wreckage of the plane. It's central feature is 35 tubes of steel that create a wailing sound in the wind. A planned R11.2-million upgrade was to add access roads, an amphitheater, a helipad and buildings. In 2006 a nearby library with a collection of books in English and Portuguese was opened. A statue of Machel, donated by Norwegian anti-apartheid artists, was also erected at the site.